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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23445196">To Know Him</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly'>Merfilly</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Barsoom - Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter (2012)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Missing Scene, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Slice of Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:33:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>300</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23445196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tardos tries to get to know John more.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>To Know Him</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>In the movie, Tardos Mors is presented as Dejah's father. In the books, he is her grandfather, but we see more of him as Jeddak than we do Mors Kajak, Jed of the Lesser City of Helium.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tardos Mors, beloved Jeddak of Helium, could not deny the absolute love between his daughter and her Jasoomian husband. He had acceded to the marriage willingly, but he truly wished to know the man that could so thoroughly gain Dejah Thoris's attention.</p><p>"Come with me and hunt," Tardos invited. It was a request, but John was military enough to know the order of a kindly officer, for Tardos ultimately led Helium's military as he did its civic roles.</p><p>"Woola, stay," John told the faithful calot, and went to get the spear that was more common for hunting in the small wild preserves maintained between the Twin Cities.</p><p>They went and mounted the thoats, riding easily with only a pair of warriors trailing for their Jeddak's safety. </p><p>"You love Helium's favorite daughter, and she loves you, yet so little is known of you. Our favorite son is a stranger," Tardos began the conversation.</p><p>"I'm just an ex-soldier, my jeddak, who has been granted a chance at happiness with her."</p><p>"What of your life on Jasoom?"</p><p>John took a moment, and Tardos saw something on his face, an emotion that bore deep self-awareness.</p><p>"There is a nephew of whom I am fond, but nothing approaching the feeling of home I have found in your family. I want nothing more than to be a Heliumite, and to make Dejah as happy as she has already made me.</p><p>"If, in the doing, I also help your people and Tars Tarkas's Tharks find meaning beyond war and violence? I will be content. As I have been a soldier, and find it only brings pain."</p><p>Tardos shook his head. "That is not like any Barsoomian sentiment, but it has worked. I enjoy the Thark's conversation, and hope the alliance continues to help both our nations thrive."</p>
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